Sense of rootedness in changing urban matrix: Rethinking a Historic street (Lower- Jessore road) of Khulna, Bangladesh.

Ref.: 42
Área temática: 01 Integridad física de los paisajes urbanos históricos
Fecha de recepción: 15/11/2008

AUTORES (* Autor principal)

S. S., Hakim (Bangladesh) - Khulna University,
PODDER, Apurba Kumar * (Bangladesh) - Khulna University
PRASHAD BOSU, Shibu (Bangladesh) - Khulna University

ABSTRACT

The infatuation with past and with mass imagery in urban design might be understood as part of larger search for meaning and security in a world that appears increasingly meaningless and scary. Decline of public realm, increasing polarization towards cities in developing countries made many cities in Asia to be highly saturated and cause anonymity of urban life. The dehumanizing effect of growth made people increasingly disconnected and affect adversely on the sense of rootedness. Khulna the third largest city in Bangladesh (also a potential port city), has a background of hundreds of years old. The city emerged along the Rupsha River(The typical nature of major cities in Bangladesh followed a parallel approach to the river). The Lower- Jessore road (parallel to the river rupsha) is morphologically the oldest one that bears nostalgic impulse of history being embedded on the continuously degraded heritage structures. Morphologically this street predominantly acted as the heart of socio-cultural activities for the city people. For the time being, the socio-economic pressure has dis- integrated/orient them from public domain and in turn has lost their identity, few those survived is very much conditional in people's participation. Activities in and around them are never revealed to the people who are passing by. Besides, the area has now become a symbol of sharp physical and environmental deterioration. The current nature of activities along the river is chaotic and anarchic. Illegal constriction, encroachment at the old historical buildings made the situation inevitable for the imprints to become extinct. However the cultural notions among the people still recall the memories of their golden past and try to conserve those beyond their utmost limitations. The issue has been farther emphasized when urban saturation accelerated the process of alienation for extreme shortage of public open space that may have serious impact to transform the definition of community and sense of belongingness. This study aims to a total process including physical survey, study of existing constraints, literature survey and people's aspirations to identify the phases of decline regarding land use due to socio-economic changes along this historic street as well as to assess the quality of prevailing urban public life due to these changes in land use/functions. The outcome will contain clear definition of existing problems of disintegration of urban life that may guide concern professionals in Dhaka and other cities with similar context to identify major deficiencies to sustain heritage conservation, therefore, help to identify the potential urban development opportunities to re-integrate public life with historic structures.

BIBLIOGRAFÍA